EDD Appeal Hearing Tomorrow - Worried About Previously Missing UI Benefits After Disability

You absolutely MUST attend the hearing! If you don't show up, the judge will likely rule against you by default. The fact that they reinstated your benefits is good news, but that's separate from your appeal for the 5 missed weeks. I went through an appeal last year for a similar situation. Here's my advice: 1. Bring printed copies of EVERYTHING (doctor's release, pay stubs showing reduced hours, any EDD correspondence) 2. Stay calm and answer questions directly - don't ramble or get defensive 3. Explain clearly that your disability ended and you were able to work, but only reduced hours were available 4. If asked why you made the reporting error, be honest about being confused by the form The judge will likely be fair if you have documentation. The whole hearing usually takes about 30 minutes, and they'll mail the decision a few weeks later. Good luck!

dont worry so much the appeal judges way more chill than regular edd people. my hearing took like 20 min and i got all my money backpaid. just dont lie about anything they hate that lol

Make sure you understand exactly why your benefits were stopped. Based on what you described, it sounds like you had a "false statement" penalty week plus a potential eligibility issue related to your disability status. The appeals judge will focus specifically on whether you were: 1) Actually able and available for work when you certified 2) Truthful in your reporting (even if you made an honest mistake) This is important: If your doctor's note clearly states you were released to work without restrictions as of a specific date, make sure to highlight that. The judge needs to see the exact date you became eligible again. Regarding the form error - be ready to explain exactly what confused you and why it wasn't intentional. Deliberate misrepresentation has different consequences than honest confusion. I recommend calling Claimyr (claimyr.com) before your hearing to reach an EDD rep who can clarify exactly what issues are noted on your claim. They can connect you directly to EDD instead of spending hours redialing. Their video demo (https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km) shows how it works. Having complete information before your hearing will help you address the specific reasons they cut your benefits.

EDD IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!! I had almost the EXACT same situation last year. Was on disability, went back to work part-time, and they accused me of fraud!!! It took me EIGHT MONTHS to get my money and they made me do TWO separate appeals. The system is designed to make people give up. DON'T GIVE UP! Bring a witness if you can - maybe your supervisor who can confirm your hours were cut. The more documentation the better. And whatever you do, DON'T miss that hearing. I missed my first one because they sent the notice to my old address and they automatically ruled against me. Had to request another hearing which added 3 more months to the process. The whole system is BROKEN!!!

I had my appeal hearing back in January. It was over the phone and took about 25 minutes. The judge asked me questions about my case, then asked the EDD representative their side, and then gave me a chance to respond. Be prepared for the EDD rep to try to justify why they denied your benefits - they might bring up things you didn't expect. Make sure you take notes during the hearing of what everyone says. It helped me stay organized with my responses. One thing to know - you probably won't get a decision right away. Mine took 3 weeks to arrive in the mail. Also, even if you win, it can take another 2-3 weeks for the backpay to hit your account or Money Network card. Oh, and if you made an honest mistake on your form, just explain it clearly. The judges understand that the EDD forms can be confusing, especially when transitioning from disability to unemployment. They're looking for intentional fraud, not honest mistakes.

i went thru somthing similar in 2025 when i had sergery then went back 2 work part time. my hearing was over zoom and judge was super nice. just make sure u have your doctors note that says your cleard to work and what date. thats the most importent thing. also the EDD rep at my hearing was confused about the details of my case so be ready to correct them if they say something wrong about your situation

Quick update question - is your hearing in-person, phone, or video? The process is slightly different for each format. For phone hearings, make sure you're in a quiet place with good reception. For video, test your connection beforehand. For in-person, arrive 30 minutes early and dress business casual. Also, after the hearing, regardless of the outcome, you should follow up with EDD about that waiting week. If you've already served a waiting week during your benefit year, you shouldn't need to serve another one just because of this issue. That might be a separate administrative error they need to fix.

good luck tomorrow! let us know how it goes!